Ling (right) with other participants from Sarawak at Malaysia Fashion Week 2016.

SIBU: Tailor Ling Ee Ching, 46, who is no stranger to winning awards for his work, has something to add to his résumé when he was invited to participate in this year’s Malaysia Fashion Week 2016 – the largest trade fashion and lifestyle event in Malaysia.

The event, which was held at Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) Exhibition and Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur from Nov 2 –5, featured over 100 local and international fashion brands and designers and more than 300 booths displaying various products and services for sale.

Ling, who participated in the annual event for the first time at the invitation of Matrade Sarawak, said it was an amazing experience and opportunity for him to expand his horizon in the industry.

“This is a rare opportunity because to be part of the event you need to be invited–you can’t participate anyhow.

“I thought it was only for Malaysian designers, but there were so many designers from all corners of the globe. I got to see various designs, different cuttings and so forth,” he said, adding that there were 10 people from Sarawak (including him) specialising in various fields who participated in the event.

On his part, he prepared 15 pieces of men’s wear for the fashion show – four of them new pieces.

Before the show began, he got to introduce his products to industry players and big corporations.

“Those are potential buyers; if they like it (my designs), they might buy my products.

“It was a relaxed occasion. Very much different from the mood when I took part in competitions,” recalled Ling, who has taken part in and won awards in a number of international competitions.

“In competition, you are racing against time to produce the best product. For the fashion week, you get to meet different designers, learn from them, exchange ideas and just have fun.”

Ling has participated in numerous tailoring competitions, winning more than 10 awards locally and overseas.

This includes a gold trophy at the 34th World Congress Of Master Tailors in Rome (Creative category) in 2011; bronze in the cutting competition at the 24th Congress of the Federation of Asian Master Tailors in Singapore in 2012; and third in the ‘Golden Needle and Golden Thread’ category in the 35th World Federation of Master Tailors International in South Korea in 2013.

In the same year (2013), he entered the 13th National Congress of the Federation of Tailor’s Guilds Malaysia in Negeri Sembilan where he attained first place in a cutting competition. He also won first and second place in the Creativity category and was placed third in the Office Wear category.

In July 2014, he obtained a bronze trophy in the Creative category at the 25th Congress of the Federation of Asian Master Tailors in Kobe, Japan.

Last year, Ling brought home a prize from the 2nd Malaysian Golden Enterprise Award in the Tailor category.

During the 36th World Federation of Master Tailors held on Aug 11-15 last year in Tampere, Finland, he won first prize in the Creative category and was second in the ‘Golden Needle and Golden Thread’ category.